Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-23
THE GAS TRUSTEES
BOUNCE THE WHEELING ELECTRICAL COM
PANY IN A LIVELY MANNER,
At Last Nights Nesting Of the City COuncl-Th'
Location Of the Crsmstury Again
up for Discussion.
Second Branch.

Second Branch.
Council was very late in getting down 10
business last night, it being SO'clOck when
President Gilleland raped for order in the
Second Branch. Sixteen members answered
to their names at roll call, they being
Messrs. Auber, Cruise, Gundling, Hartong,
Jaeger, Kettler, Marsh, Maxwell, Miller,
Mitchell, Pracbt, steger, Vockler, Warner,
WHITE and Mr.. President. A number OF
other members appeared later. Att $3.50
O'Clock. the reading Of the minutes having
been concluded, on motion of Mr.. Cruise,
the rules were suspended and the
application of Henry Blumenberg
to have his license at No. 1857
annulled. and the rebate applied on the
license of Leonhardt & Ratcliff, was grant
cd, as was also the application of the last
named firm to keep at the above number.
The application of C. W. Kennedy to keep
at No. ll47 Market street, was also
granted.
FINANCIAL.
The regular semi-monthly financial re-
port of City Clerk Bowers showed bal
ances a~ggregating $33, 29O.65, as follows:
Board of. Public Works, So, 43O. 55; fire,
S2,271.4s; health, $S23.Tl; markets,
$63s. IS; police, 81, 10; city prison,
$244.O3 scales, $12.O5; real estate, $60l. 81
cemeteries, 1921. 43; salaries, 1856. 20; con-
t~ingencies, $3,902.22; Water Board,
49, 500. SO; gas works, 5 4,551.97.
The Commissioners of the ten-thiTty
loan reported the receipt of $1,000 from
the City Receiver, and the disbursement
OF the same in the payment of 444 coupons.
The commission Oh this transaction
amounted to $33. 80. The report was re,
ferred to the Committee on Finance.
The Committee on Health reported fol
payment bills aggregating $3.50. The Com
mittee reported the acceptance of the ere
matory, and recommended the payment tC
NJ. V. Smith of the balance OF 81, 049.SC
due him. The following vas also offered
"ResOired, That the Committee on Health
be and is hereby authorized TO remove the
crematory to q more accessible site"
The payment of the balance due Mr..
Smith was ordered, it to come out of the
allowance for the Health Department fol
the current year. The resolution recon-
mending the removal of the crepatory wa:
rejected, ayes 8, noes II. Those voting
aye were Messrs. Auber, Caldwell, Davis
Garvin, Cruise, Healy, Jaeger and Whyte
IS.
The Committee on Claims recommended
the payment OF bills a~ggregating $50. 40,
and the Committee on Scales bills aggre
eating 1925. They were ordered paid.
THE INCANDEsCENT LIGHT BoOGABOo.
The clerk read a communication from
the Board of Gas Trustees, transmitting al
opinion by the City Solicitor as to the
right of the Wheeling Electrical company
to erect and maintain poles and wires fol-
electric lighting purposes. The substance
of this communication has already been
published in the REGISTER. Commenting
upon the opinion of the Solicitor, the
Board of Trustees announced it had come
to the conclusion that the Wheeling Elec-
trical Company had no right TO erect and
maintain its poles and wires. Proceeding,
the Trustees say:
ave feel it our duty, not only as the
custOdians of a valuable revenue-yielding
property, but as patriotic citizens, to in
terpOse every lawful shield, every leGitim-
ate protection, between the Gas Works of
this city and any and every rival seeking
TO impair it's usefulness and prosperity OF
cripple its resources; to raise strong
bulwarks against and vigorously exclude
from the city every innovation of capital
likely to initiate against the interests OF
the majority of our people, and to prOtect
against the enjoyment of q right or
privilege by the Wheeling Electrical Com,
pany or any other company that would
enable them to complete and enter into
rivalry with the Wheeling gas works il
the furnishing of light, except for a most
valuable consideration.
"Will the Wheeling Electrical Company
undertake to pay the holders of the 1870.
600 of the five per cent bonds issued two
years ago, the sum of So, 700 interest pei
year, for the next eight years, and in add.
ton thereto after the year 1895, the sum OF
s., 400 per year for q period of say twenty,
five years or until they have paid off $l35,
OOO of said bonds? Will the said Company
undertake, in addition to the above, to
furnish free light to the streets, engine,
houses, market houses, public buildings,
&c, OF the city?
"At almost every meeting of Council a
new gas or oil lamp is asked for by OuT
citizens, and Council invariably honorS
the request. Will the Wheeling Electric
Company undertake to supply this de-
mand?
Last year the city gas works gave the
city in gas in the streets, public buildings,
&c, in the erection and repairs of lamp
posts, and in the cleaning, lighting and
eXtinguishing thereof, the sum of 49,
1871 Now, if the Wheeling Electrical
Company will undertake to pay out of its
revenues for the benefit of the city these
various sums above enumerated, and dc
and perform those things that the gas
works has done, and are expected TO do
for many years to come, it might be well
to at least consider the prOpriety ola grant
of lights and privileges to said company
otherwise it would be, in our opinion, a
sorry bargain. Abolish totally or partially
the gas wOi Ks, the result is loss of reve-
nue., consequently increased taxation, and
while the rich man could afford TO pay it,
and the poor man could not, yet both
would probably clamor in q high degree.
This matter OF depriving the Electrical
Company of q grant has been referred to in
the newspapers as an opposition to boom
ing the old town. Your Trustees fail "a
see wherein the introduction of a new light
can be construed into a booming of the
town. What you add to the Golfers Of the
Electrical Company will be subtracted
from the revenues of the gas works, and a
consequent paralysis to the old town, in
stead of a boom. And right here we are
reminded of a proposition pending before
your Honorable Body TO exempt from city
taxation and water rent for series OfyearS
any and all new manufacturing companies.
This seems like sowing genuine boom
seed, inaSmuch as this exemption will not